The present invention relates to a golf swing analyzing apparatus and a method of analyzing golf swings.
A golf swing analyzing apparatus is generally known as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-11926, for example. The golf swing analyzing apparatus utilizes an optical motion capture system for capturing an image of a swing of a golfer. Markers are fixed to specific positions of the golfer and/or a golf club for the capture of the image of the swing. The movement of the markers is recorded as an image for determining the moving paths of the specific positions. In addition, a golf swing analyzing apparatus utilizing an acceleration sensor is also generally known as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-169499, for example. An acceleration sensor is attached to the golf club. The form of the golf swing is analyzed based on the acceleration measured by the acceleration sensor.
The shaft of the golf club is forced to bend during a golf swing. The bending of the golf club influences the distance and direction of drives or shots. The torque and force acting on the shaft from the golfer during a golf swing influences the bending of the golf club during the golf swing, so that determination of the torque and force is expected to greatly contribute to the design of rigidity of a shaft or the selection of a shaft suitable to the golfer. And further, if the changes of the torque and force are grasped along the elapse of time during the downswing, it is possible to quantify the tempo of respective actions during the golf swing, which is expected to contribute to improvement of the golf swing.
However, means is not so far proposed for measuring parameters related to the bending, such as torque and force, in a facilitated manner. Strain gauges are mounted on the golf club at respective locations and utilized to measure strain at the respective locations, thereby resulting in complicated measurement equipment. A golfer suffers from a lot of burden for the measurement.